HAYSTACK COMMENTARY
january 2025 |
Everything written by Spiritual Warfare 2025 unless otherwise noted. Some content may not be endorsed by this site, but is there for information only.
ED NOTE=Spiritual Warfare 2025 |
cultural Apologetics |
“The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.” -John 7:18
January 13, 2025:
Truth Matters
Last week, Mark Zuckerberg announced he would eliminate fact-checkers from Meta’s social media platforms, including Facebook and Threads. He insinuated that fact-checkers have a history of liberal bias, which angered people on the far right in American society. So, like the decree of an ancient ruler, necessary guardrails on popular social media platforms, with over 3 billion users worldwide, will vanish into the cultural landscape.
This is disquieting in our politically divided, highly polarized society. Truth and facts are essential in any healthy society. They are critical to our strength and mutual flourishing.
(Good Faith Media 1/13/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Last week, Mark Zuckerberg announced he would eliminate fact-checkers from Meta’s social media platforms, including Facebook and Threads. He insinuated that fact-checkers have a history of liberal bias, which angered people on the far right in American society. So, like the decree of an ancient ruler, necessary guardrails on popular social media platforms, with over 3 billion users worldwide, will vanish into the cultural landscape.
This is disquieting in our politically divided, highly polarized society. Truth and facts are essential in any healthy society. They are critical to our strength and mutual flourishing.
(Good Faith Media 1/13/25) READ MORE>>>>>
January 12, 2025:
White Christian nationalists are poised to remake America in their image during Trump’s second term, author says
There’s an image that captures the threat posed by the White Christian nationalist movement — and how it could become even more dangerous over the next four years. Taken during the Jan. 6 insurrection, the photo shows a solitary White man, his head pressed in prayer against a massive wooden cross, facing the domed US Capitol building. An American flag stands like a sentinel on a flagpole beside the Capitol under an ominously gray sky.
The photograph depicts a foot soldier in an insurgent religious movement trying to storm the halls of American power. What’s unsettling about the photo four years later is that much of the religious zeal that fed the insurrection is no longer outside the gates of power. Many of that movement’s followers are now on the inside, because their Chosen One, Donald Trump, returns this month to the Oval Office.
(CNN 1/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
There’s an image that captures the threat posed by the White Christian nationalist movement — and how it could become even more dangerous over the next four years. Taken during the Jan. 6 insurrection, the photo shows a solitary White man, his head pressed in prayer against a massive wooden cross, facing the domed US Capitol building. An American flag stands like a sentinel on a flagpole beside the Capitol under an ominously gray sky.
The photograph depicts a foot soldier in an insurgent religious movement trying to storm the halls of American power. What’s unsettling about the photo four years later is that much of the religious zeal that fed the insurrection is no longer outside the gates of power. Many of that movement’s followers are now on the inside, because their Chosen One, Donald Trump, returns this month to the Oval Office.
(CNN 1/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Franklin Graham to Newsmax: Samaritan's Purse Helping LA Fire Victims
Samaritan's Purse is preparing for a major response to needy California residents in the wake of wild fires that have devastated the Los Angeles area. "Right now we just have to wait till the fires are contained and are out before we can do anything," Rev. Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, told Newsmax's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." Graham said his organization is already prepping teams of volunteers to help. The fires have been the worst ever to hit the state of California. More than 12,000 homes and properties have been destroyed as hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
(Newsmax; 1/12/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Samaritan's Purse is preparing for a major response to needy California residents in the wake of wild fires that have devastated the Los Angeles area. "Right now we just have to wait till the fires are contained and are out before we can do anything," Rev. Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, told Newsmax's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." Graham said his organization is already prepping teams of volunteers to help. The fires have been the worst ever to hit the state of California. More than 12,000 homes and properties have been destroyed as hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
(Newsmax; 1/12/25) READ MORE>>>>>
January 11, 2025:
Trump's envoy arrived in Israel to press for Gaza deal before Jan. 20
President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday to push for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said. Why it matters: Witkoff's traveled to Israel from Qatar as part of a last-minute effort by Trump to press all parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the deal before Jan. 20. Trump has threatened there would be "hell to pay in the Middle East" if Hamas didn't release the hostages by the time he is inaugurated. (Axios 1/11/25) Read More>>>>>
President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday to push for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said. Why it matters: Witkoff's traveled to Israel from Qatar as part of a last-minute effort by Trump to press all parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the deal before Jan. 20. Trump has threatened there would be "hell to pay in the Middle East" if Hamas didn't release the hostages by the time he is inaugurated. (Axios 1/11/25) Read More>>>>>
ADL Chief Invokes Pager Attack as Inspiration for Taking on Internet Trolls
Amid the parade of self-congratulations for all the “winning” going on out there, it was easy to miss the head of one the most prominent U.S. pro-Israel groups, the Anti-Defamation League, admitting to Israel’s parliament that it has been failing on one important front: the fight against global antisemitism. “Nobody likes to admit when they’ve fallen short,” Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s CEO, told the Knesset on Tuesday, according to eJewishPhilanthropy. “I don’t like to lose. I personally hate to lose. However, sometimes we need to acknowledge the reality.” The reality was stark: Antisemitism, Greenblatt said, is on the rise, especially online. The admission was a stunning one, since the ADL was founded to fight antisemitism. That is the banner under which all of its vociferous advocacy for Israel occurs. So for the group to fail in this way raises big questions — questions that need big answers. (The Intercept 1/11/25) Read More>>>>>
Amid the parade of self-congratulations for all the “winning” going on out there, it was easy to miss the head of one the most prominent U.S. pro-Israel groups, the Anti-Defamation League, admitting to Israel’s parliament that it has been failing on one important front: the fight against global antisemitism. “Nobody likes to admit when they’ve fallen short,” Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s CEO, told the Knesset on Tuesday, according to eJewishPhilanthropy. “I don’t like to lose. I personally hate to lose. However, sometimes we need to acknowledge the reality.” The reality was stark: Antisemitism, Greenblatt said, is on the rise, especially online. The admission was a stunning one, since the ADL was founded to fight antisemitism. That is the banner under which all of its vociferous advocacy for Israel occurs. So for the group to fail in this way raises big questions — questions that need big answers. (The Intercept 1/11/25) Read More>>>>>
Pope assures spiritual closeness to LA fire victims
In a message sent through his Secretary of State to the archbishop of Los Angeles, José Gómez, Pope Francis assures his "spiritual closeness" to all those affected by the fires. "Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, His Holiness sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss. He likewise prays for the relief efforts of the emergency service personnel and imparts his blessing to all as a pledge of consolation and strength in the Lord." Some 180,000 people have been evacuated. The death toll is currently limited to 11 though it is thought it could rise as more victims are discovered. The disaster caused the cancellation of US President Joe Biden's visit to Rome, where he was due to meet Pope Francis on January 10. President Biden, 82, will hand over power to Donald Trump on January 20.
. (Aleteia 1/11/25) READ MORE>>>>>
In a message sent through his Secretary of State to the archbishop of Los Angeles, José Gómez, Pope Francis assures his "spiritual closeness" to all those affected by the fires. "Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, His Holiness sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss. He likewise prays for the relief efforts of the emergency service personnel and imparts his blessing to all as a pledge of consolation and strength in the Lord." Some 180,000 people have been evacuated. The death toll is currently limited to 11 though it is thought it could rise as more victims are discovered. The disaster caused the cancellation of US President Joe Biden's visit to Rome, where he was due to meet Pope Francis on January 10. President Biden, 82, will hand over power to Donald Trump on January 20.
. (Aleteia 1/11/25) READ MORE>>>>>
January 10, 2025:
A long-abandoned Christian theme park sits just off a US highway. Will it rise again?
I climb out of my car atop Pine Hill and for a moment feel like I’ve stepped into a vintage postcard. The city of Waterbury fans out below in muted tones of red brick, oxidized copper, and gray. Behind me is the reason I’m standing here in the bracing cold — a 65-foot-tall and 28-foot-wide cross, the focal point of Holy Land USA.
To a tired child sitting in the backseat of the family car whizzing down the I-84, the towering illuminated cross was a mile marker that was as mysterious as it was foreboding. I must have passed it 100 times: on family vacations, on my way to Camp Ramah and then Camp Tevya, on school field trips to Hartford, and later, when I lived in Brookline, Massachusetts, on my way to visit my parents in Danbury. While it always piqued my curiosity, I had never planned to visit, content to let it remain an enigma — but when your editor asks you to write about one of the landmarks of your youth, it’s hard to resist.
(Times Of Israel 1/10/24) READ MORE>>>>>
I climb out of my car atop Pine Hill and for a moment feel like I’ve stepped into a vintage postcard. The city of Waterbury fans out below in muted tones of red brick, oxidized copper, and gray. Behind me is the reason I’m standing here in the bracing cold — a 65-foot-tall and 28-foot-wide cross, the focal point of Holy Land USA.
To a tired child sitting in the backseat of the family car whizzing down the I-84, the towering illuminated cross was a mile marker that was as mysterious as it was foreboding. I must have passed it 100 times: on family vacations, on my way to Camp Ramah and then Camp Tevya, on school field trips to Hartford, and later, when I lived in Brookline, Massachusetts, on my way to visit my parents in Danbury. While it always piqued my curiosity, I had never planned to visit, content to let it remain an enigma — but when your editor asks you to write about one of the landmarks of your youth, it’s hard to resist.
(Times Of Israel 1/10/24) READ MORE>>>>>
January 5, 2025:
Died: Richard B. Hays, Who Wrestled with the Moral Vision of the New Testament
Richard B. Hays, the New Testament scholar who taught the narrative unity of Scripture and changed his mind late life about the morality of homosexuality because, he said, of the narrative of Scripture, died on January 3. He was 76. Hays was the author of Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul, New Testament Ethics, The Conversion of the Imagination, Reading with the Grain of Scripture, and The Moral Vision of the New Testament, which Christianity Today named as one of the 100 most important Christian books of the 20th century. “Hays
has hit a home run every time he has stepped to the plate,” CT reported in 1999. “What makes his approach hard for skeptics to resist is the quality of his mind: supple, clear, and persuasive, extremely well informed. It is hard to find a hole in his arguments.” (Christianity Today 1/5/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Richard B. Hays, the New Testament scholar who taught the narrative unity of Scripture and changed his mind late life about the morality of homosexuality because, he said, of the narrative of Scripture, died on January 3. He was 76. Hays was the author of Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul, New Testament Ethics, The Conversion of the Imagination, Reading with the Grain of Scripture, and The Moral Vision of the New Testament, which Christianity Today named as one of the 100 most important Christian books of the 20th century. “Hays
has hit a home run every time he has stepped to the plate,” CT reported in 1999. “What makes his approach hard for skeptics to resist is the quality of his mind: supple, clear, and persuasive, extremely well informed. It is hard to find a hole in his arguments.” (Christianity Today 1/5/24) READ MORE>>>>>
January 3, 2025:
Report: 31% of Evangelicals Did Not Give to Church or Charity in Previous Year
Charitable giving is down among evangelicals, according to a new report from Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts. According to the report, evangelicals’ financial generosity is down in every metric measured in a similar survey conducted three years ago. In 2021, Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts found that the average evangelical gave away only 3.2% of their household income to either church or charity, and 19% had not made any charitable gifts in the previous 12 months.
(Church Leader 1/3/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Charitable giving is down among evangelicals, according to a new report from Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts. According to the report, evangelicals’ financial generosity is down in every metric measured in a similar survey conducted three years ago. In 2021, Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts found that the average evangelical gave away only 3.2% of their household income to either church or charity, and 19% had not made any charitable gifts in the previous 12 months.
(Church Leader 1/3/24) READ MORE>>>>>
January 2, 2025:
Our brother Carter and Latin America
Jimmy Carter is in the presence of the Lord. It is curious that his political adversaries, the Republicans, are making a much more positive and appreciative assessment of his time in office than some evangelicals whom I would like to see in his shoes negotiating on nuclear missiles with Brezhnev or dealing with the infamous kidnapping of Americans by Khomeini's people ( contrary to reports, he did seek a forcible solution with a military attack, though it failed). But we will ask our brother Carter about all this in heaven. In the
meantime, it is worth to look at his role in Latin America. (Evangelical Focus 1/2/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Jimmy Carter is in the presence of the Lord. It is curious that his political adversaries, the Republicans, are making a much more positive and appreciative assessment of his time in office than some evangelicals whom I would like to see in his shoes negotiating on nuclear missiles with Brezhnev or dealing with the infamous kidnapping of Americans by Khomeini's people ( contrary to reports, he did seek a forcible solution with a military attack, though it failed). But we will ask our brother Carter about all this in heaven. In the
meantime, it is worth to look at his role in Latin America. (Evangelical Focus 1/2/25) READ MORE>>>>>
Nearly a third of Evangelicals didn't donate to church, charity in past year: study
The share of Evangelicals who have donated to their church has dropped in recent years, with nearly one-third saying they didn't donate to a church or charity within the prior 12 months, according to a survey. Infinity
Concepts, in conjunction with Grey Matter Research, released the report "The Giving Gap: Changes in Evangelical Generosity," with data based on responses collected from 1,039 Evangelical Protestants in early 2024. The poll found that 61% of respondents donated to a church in the 12 months preceding the survey. This figure constituted a drop from the 74% of Evangelicals who gave to a church in 2021.
(Christian Post 1/2/25) READ MORE>>>>>
The share of Evangelicals who have donated to their church has dropped in recent years, with nearly one-third saying they didn't donate to a church or charity within the prior 12 months, according to a survey. Infinity
Concepts, in conjunction with Grey Matter Research, released the report "The Giving Gap: Changes in Evangelical Generosity," with data based on responses collected from 1,039 Evangelical Protestants in early 2024. The poll found that 61% of respondents donated to a church in the 12 months preceding the survey. This figure constituted a drop from the 74% of Evangelicals who gave to a church in 2021.
(Christian Post 1/2/25) READ MORE>>>>>
December 25, 2024:
Christmas kicked off in NYC with midnight mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Westchester County Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner Joseph K. Spano announced that His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the New York Archdiocese held mass at the Westchester County Department of Correction. The mass was attended by a group of 60 residents, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, WDOC personnel, Correction Advisory Board members, New York State Commission of Correction personnel and clergy representing diverse faiths, and touched on unity and redemption in this coming holiday season.Spano said, “We are mindful that being incarcerated during the holiday season presents additional challenges for our residents and their families. To have his Eminence Cardinal Dolan say Mass for our residents leading up to the Christmas Holiday is truly a gift and one that is sure to have a positive impact on their lives.”
(Audacity; 12/25/24) READMORE>>>>>
Westchester County Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner Joseph K. Spano announced that His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the New York Archdiocese held mass at the Westchester County Department of Correction. The mass was attended by a group of 60 residents, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, WDOC personnel, Correction Advisory Board members, New York State Commission of Correction personnel and clergy representing diverse faiths, and touched on unity and redemption in this coming holiday season.Spano said, “We are mindful that being incarcerated during the holiday season presents additional challenges for our residents and their families. To have his Eminence Cardinal Dolan say Mass for our residents leading up to the Christmas Holiday is truly a gift and one that is sure to have a positive impact on their lives.”
(Audacity; 12/25/24) READMORE>>>>>
Cardinal Dolan Holds Mass at Correction Facility
– As he has done for years, Cardinal Timothy Dolan welcomed thousands to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for midnight mass, marking the beginning of Christmas with a message of hope and light. Let there be light as God’s recreation starts with that midnight dazzle,” he said. The traditional midnight mass was held at 12 a.m. on Wednesday, requiring tickets for attendance. This nearly 150-year-old tradition dates back to 1879, when the cathedral on Fifth Avenue first opened its doors. The cardinal spoke about the significance of the day with some humor. “God so loved the world, he did not send us a drone,” Dolan said, adding, “God so loved the world that he sent us His only Son.” His remarks were met with laughter and applause. The cathedral was filled with New Yorkers and tourists from around the world. Many gathered to find peace and reflect on the meaning of the holy day. ((Hudson Valley Press; 12/25/24) READMORE>>>>>
– As he has done for years, Cardinal Timothy Dolan welcomed thousands to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for midnight mass, marking the beginning of Christmas with a message of hope and light. Let there be light as God’s recreation starts with that midnight dazzle,” he said. The traditional midnight mass was held at 12 a.m. on Wednesday, requiring tickets for attendance. This nearly 150-year-old tradition dates back to 1879, when the cathedral on Fifth Avenue first opened its doors. The cardinal spoke about the significance of the day with some humor. “God so loved the world, he did not send us a drone,” Dolan said, adding, “God so loved the world that he sent us His only Son.” His remarks were met with laughter and applause. The cathedral was filled with New Yorkers and tourists from around the world. Many gathered to find peace and reflect on the meaning of the holy day. ((Hudson Valley Press; 12/25/24) READMORE>>>>>
December 22, 2024:
Evangelical church under investigation over ‘terrorist’ symbols sold at Christmas market'
A Protestant church in Hesse, Germany, is under investigation after vendors were seen selling symbols associated with the terrorist organization Hamas at the church's Christmas market event. Prosecutors are examining whether the Michaelskirche parish engaged in hate incitement and the use of banned terrorist symbols during the event. Prosecutors initiated the investigation after complaints were filed concerning the Christmas market held by the Michaelskirche parish in Darmstadt last Sunday, The Telegraph reported.
The market featured stalls that sold keyrings displaying Hamas’ red triangle emblem, a symbol banned in Germany since July for its association with the terrorist group.
(Christian Post 12/22/24) READ MORE>>>>>
A Protestant church in Hesse, Germany, is under investigation after vendors were seen selling symbols associated with the terrorist organization Hamas at the church's Christmas market event. Prosecutors are examining whether the Michaelskirche parish engaged in hate incitement and the use of banned terrorist symbols during the event. Prosecutors initiated the investigation after complaints were filed concerning the Christmas market held by the Michaelskirche parish in Darmstadt last Sunday, The Telegraph reported.
The market featured stalls that sold keyrings displaying Hamas’ red triangle emblem, a symbol banned in Germany since July for its association with the terrorist group.
(Christian Post 12/22/24) READ MORE>>>>>
“The theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. The theologian of the cross calls a thing what it is.”
--Martin Luther; Heidelberg Disputation
--Martin Luther; Heidelberg Disputation
December 21, 2024:
The drug-trafficking Rio gangsters who see themselves as God's 'soldiers of crime'
When police in Rio de Janeiro seize blocks of cocaine and bundles of marijuana they may well find them branded with a religious symbol – the Star of David. This is not a reference to the Jewish faith, but to the belief of some Pentecostal Christians that the return of Jews to Israel will lead to the Second Coming of Christ.
The gang selling these branded drugs is the Pure Third Command, one of Rio's most powerful criminal groups, with a reputation both for making its opponents disappear, and for fanatical evangelical Christianity.
They took control of a group of five favelas in the north of the city – now known as the Israel Complex – after one of their leaders had what he believed was a revelation from God, says theologian Vivian Costa, author of the book, Evangelical Drug Dealers.
(BBC 12/21/24) READ MORE>>>>>
When police in Rio de Janeiro seize blocks of cocaine and bundles of marijuana they may well find them branded with a religious symbol – the Star of David. This is not a reference to the Jewish faith, but to the belief of some Pentecostal Christians that the return of Jews to Israel will lead to the Second Coming of Christ.
The gang selling these branded drugs is the Pure Third Command, one of Rio's most powerful criminal groups, with a reputation both for making its opponents disappear, and for fanatical evangelical Christianity.
They took control of a group of five favelas in the north of the city – now known as the Israel Complex – after one of their leaders had what he believed was a revelation from God, says theologian Vivian Costa, author of the book, Evangelical Drug Dealers.
(BBC 12/21/24) READ MORE>>>>>
December 20, 2024:
Speak their names, tell their stories
Four score and seven years ago. Call me Ishmael. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Opening lines at their best can capture your attention. And if they really do hit, they eventually embed in our minds, memorized for decades, seemingly flowing through our veins. It seems most of the classic texts of humanity have solid opening lines. So, do you remember the opening lines of our canonical New Testament? How does the writer of the Gospel of Matthew choose to open the text? Matthew 1:1 — An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Ok. Who was his editor? Why did the writer of Matthew use the first 17 verses of his Gospel to compose a genealogy? (Jonathan Greer: Baptist News Global 12/20/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Four score and seven years ago. Call me Ishmael. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Opening lines at their best can capture your attention. And if they really do hit, they eventually embed in our minds, memorized for decades, seemingly flowing through our veins. It seems most of the classic texts of humanity have solid opening lines. So, do you remember the opening lines of our canonical New Testament? How does the writer of the Gospel of Matthew choose to open the text? Matthew 1:1 — An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Ok. Who was his editor? Why did the writer of Matthew use the first 17 verses of his Gospel to compose a genealogy? (Jonathan Greer: Baptist News Global 12/20/24) READ MORE>>>>>
12 Christian Leaders Who Died in 2024
Christians are called to “contend for the faith” (Jude 3:3). But what that looks like—how believers apply that call to their own context and historical moment—can vary a great deal. A number of the leaders whose passings we witnessed in 2024 spent their lives calling evangelicals to contend. Some wanted evangelicals to contend with poverty (Tony Campolo); some, with racism (Bill Pannell); some, liberals (Beverly LaHaye). Others focused their life’s work on worship, theology, and the interpretation of Scripture.
(Christianity Today 12/20/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Christians are called to “contend for the faith” (Jude 3:3). But what that looks like—how believers apply that call to their own context and historical moment—can vary a great deal. A number of the leaders whose passings we witnessed in 2024 spent their lives calling evangelicals to contend. Some wanted evangelicals to contend with poverty (Tony Campolo); some, with racism (Bill Pannell); some, liberals (Beverly LaHaye). Others focused their life’s work on worship, theology, and the interpretation of Scripture.
(Christianity Today 12/20/24) READ MORE>>>>>